As the popularity of golf continues to rise, and as the proliferation of specialty clubs increases, so has golf club theft. It is not uncommon for the average golfer to have in excess of $2,000.00 of clubs in his or her bag. After completing a round of golf, it is common for a golfer to leave the bag unsecured and unattended for long periods of time. This exposes the individual clubs or entire bag with all its contents to easy theft.
Various devices have been designed and implemented to secure clubs to one another, or integrated bag locks that secure the clubs within the bag. No such device is easily portable from bag to bag, or offers security of a variety of bag configurations and club quantities. Nor typically does the locking device provide a means to secure clubs or bag to a permanent rack, or other object.
One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,100, which discusses a device having a plate designed to fit over the open end of a golf bag. The plate has three slots which are closed at one end and open at the other so that a group of clubs can be laterally inserted therein. A U-shaped arm is pivotally attached to the flat plate to close the open end of the slots. The arm can then be locked in place to prevent removal of the clubs.
Such devices are relatively heavy and thereby tend to discourage golfers who prefer to carry their own bag as they play and wish to keep the bag as light as possible. Also, such devices are non-adjustable as to the distance between the slots. Golf bags are sold in a variety of sizes and configurations. A rigid system of locking the clubs restricts the golfer to bags that fit the limitations of the lock. It is likely that a golfer will purchase two or three different bags over the life of his or her clubs and therefore be forced to purchase a new lock with each as the configurations or size change. Further, with the relatively high cost of the device, this makes it impractical.